Bad news last week as one of my early favorites, PUP, dropped from the lineup. Rumor is that Canadian bands are having a hard time getting in and out of the country. Sucks. And if the rumor is true a couple more may drop.
Faith No More – Saturday
Alright, you remember them for the “Epic” video with the fish dying at the end, right? You may have heard them before with “We Care a Lot”. I remember that on MTV 120 Minutes and it was on a 120 Minutes Compilation CD too. Oh yeah; they were pioneers of funk metal. I don’t think I had heard anything like that before. At least not mainstream on MTV. So we now know who to blame for Limp Bizkit. Most of the original lineup is intact with the biggest change being their lead singer. Mike Patton joined them between “We Care a Lot” and “Epic” so he is really the only singer I really ever knew. They broke up for a while and reunited about 10 years ago so this is a little bit of a reunion. Could be interesting. They do some non-sequitur-like covers every once in a while.
Mr. Bungle – Sunday
I have no idea what to expect from them. “Experimental” rock is the best description. They can go heavy metal or disco or between. This was Mike Patton’s band before (and during) he joined Faith No More. They have a crazy fan base that may know what to expect but I can’t tell. Rumor was they would only play Riot Fest if they could play immediately before Devo. So we’ll see about that. They were broken up for 20 years and reunited in early 2020 for a reunion that lasted three shows before COVID. Scott Ian (Anthrax) and Dave Lombardo (Slayer and Suicidal) joined the band. I’d love to see them join them at RF but who know post COVID. If it’s any indication of what we’ll see, they’re reunion shows covered hardcore and metal bands like Slayer, Circle Jerks, The Exploited, and Corrosion of Conformity. Plus some Mr. Rogers (Won’t you be my neighbor) and Seals and Crofts. Again, don’t know what to expect.
Coheed and Cambia – Friday
Well prog rock is alive and well with these guys. They put out concept albums based on science fiction comic books. And you can’t tell me you don’t hear Geddy Lee when you listen. There has to be some 2112 in there somewhere. But they look like a fun live act. I’ve seen their name on many festival posters and they have a big following. Might be worth checking out. I’m jealous of the lead singer’s hair.